Wed in Modern Luxury at Grand Velas | Featured on Once Wed

Jan 4, 2019

We are always in search of new wedding destinations and our latest adventure was to explore the newest options that Los Cabos has to offer. We work with modern couples who want an authentic experience, but also want comfort and luxury for their guests. We were lucky enough to land on Grand Velas’ newest resort. Immediately we were struck by a jewel on the coast of the Sea of Cortez, the Grand Velas Resort. The hotel stands out as a beacon of modern architecture, but at close up, it offers soft inviting interiors and lush landscaping all with the unparalleled panoramic view of the Sea of Cortez. Grand Velas was the ideal location to bring together a beautiful shoot for Lauren and James.

Beyond the beauty, we soon learned that the Grand Velas is not your typical all- inclusive hotel. Normally the suggestion of an all-inclusive gives us a picture the herding of folks to buffets and makes us question the quality of food and attention to guests. But our perceptions were quickly shattered. From the moment you arrive, the staff and service provide the hospitality and guest care (serious pampering!) that we have come to expect from the worlds finest hotels. Then came the food. With world-class international chefs and Micheline rated restaurants, our every expectation was surpassed. The best part was each beautiful meal was also a feast for the eyes, which we believe plays an important role in the design of any event.

With this glorious property as our backdrop, we teamed up with Jeremy Chou, who is well known as one of the best wedding photographers anywhere in the world. Next, we began creating the fun! This started with a fiesta-inspired rehearsal dinner at the Desert Garden Palapas. This charming area is tucked into a corner of the resort, surrounded by a native succulent garden and the ever-present ocean view. Guests entered the terrace to a food display channeling a Mexican street market vibe. Haystacks, wine barrel, and a merchant cart served as our buffet table, all beautifully arranged with authentic Mexican cuisine and locally sourced fresh produce.

For dining, we arranged a grouping of round farm-house style tables encircled with mid-century-modern Eiffel chairs. Florist Elana Damey created bright, jewel-toned floral arrangements to compliment the colorful decor. Hand painted dinner plates, woven Mexican linens and vibrant glass lanterns hung overhead all made for statement decor elements. Our custom touches included vintage style Loteria name cards for each guest. Places were set with Alebrijes, hand painted folk art animals, and each guest received a tasseled jute welcome bag filled with sunscreen, Pellegrino and local Mezcal.

Lauren and James prepared for their wedding day at the presidential suite, complete with a sky-high private swimming pool where our couple relaxed and enjoyed cocktails with a sweeping view of the ocean below. We chose a Haley Paige dress from JLM Boutique for Lauren. Delicately beaded shoulder straps, a fitted bodice, and layers of chiffon made it the ideal beach wedding gown. Pina Florals created a natural green and white bouquet with subtle touches of pastel blue. Our go-to make-up artist in Mexico, Zoë Elizabeth, accented the bride’s natural beauty with a flawless, glowing complexion and gave her hair relaxed, beachy waves.

The intimate ceremony took place on the resort’s seemingly endless stretch of white sand beach. In this serene and private location, our couple had the beach to themselves – no crowds, no salespeople or people passing by. Coastal-chic design elements included an arrangement of white muslin flags as the ceremony backdrop; driftwood chairs and an unstructured garden-inspired aisle. The ceremony was followed by a barefoot-in-the-sand cocktail hour, with soft white lounge furniture, driftwood cocktail tables, and oversized lanterns.

The evening continued with a reception on the expansive Terrazzo Del Mar, the perfect ocean view location to accommodate one long dramatic table for all of the guests to unite and celebrate Lauren and James. We enlisted VVRPro to create a white draped tent structure above the tables, complete with romantic string lights, which gave the space a warm feel while still giving a view to the stars. For a stylish but understated beach vibe peppered white directors chairs with the driftwood bistro chairs; and the tables were set with wood chargers, pastel plates, crystal goblets, and modern brass flatware, all sourced from Warehouse Rentals. The tabletop was complemented with delicate escort cards embossed with silver foil by Owl Post Calligraphy and topped with lush garden bouquets by Pina Florals. Finally, we topped off the look with grey taper candles, mercury votives, and strands of imported aqua sea glass beads.

Each moment and detail was perfectly captured on film by Jeremy Chou. Jeremy’s (surprise!) background in architecture served as the perfect method to capture every stunning angle of our events at Grand Velas. From the fiesta-inspired rehearsal dinner to the ocean-inspired ceremony and reception, the events unfolded seamlessly and far exceeded our expectations.

There’s nothing more leisurely or celebratory than enjoying a beautiful meal under twinkling lights at an elegantly set table! @100layercake chose some of their favorite neutral tabletop pieces and paired them with gorgeous peachy florals for this backyard Oysters & Rosé party with friends.